Edward -g



E. G.V PARKHUR-ST.

- glGHg-FQR ORDNANGB.

No. 512,744.' Patented Jan. 16,1894.

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.UNTTED A STaTEs PATENT @EETOEQ' EDWARD C. PARKHURST, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, As'siCNoa To THE -HOTCHKiss ORDNANCE COMPANY, LIMITED, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

SIGHT FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part.' of Letters Patent No. 512,744, dated January 16,1894.

` llpplication filed July 26. 1893. Serial No. 481,478. y(No model.)

.T el/ZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD G. PARKHUEST,

a Citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State g'ofConnecticut, have invented certain new Y andvuseful Improvements in Sight Attach.

ments for Ordnance, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to sights for ordro nance; it 'consists in an improved sight-at- .tachment especially designed for use on breech-,loading ordnance offthe rapid-fire class, the sight-bar being adj ustably carried 1n asight-block which is adapted to be in- I stantly assembled on the ordnance-piece or removed therefrom by means of improved locking devices.

The o bjects of this invention are, primarily, to provide a gun-sight attachment in which the paris thereof may be readily assembled without the use of special tools and may be quickly secured to and looked in position Y l upon and be removed from the gun when desired; to furnish a sight-attachment so constructed that it will be simple, compact and durable; valso to provide means whereby the slght-bar may be quickly adjusted as required With relation to. the block, and for automatically securing said sight-bar in its ad'- j usted position. q In the drawings accompanying and vforming a part of this specification, Figure ll is a rear end elevation of a portion of an ordi'- nary breech-loading gun provided with a sight-attachmentembodying my present inventiong Fig. 2 a side elevation of the saine as seen from the right-hand in Fig. l; Fig. 3 a vertical section of the sameon dotted line a-ct of Fig. l; Fig. 4 a cross-sectional detail view taken on dotted line c-c, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the fastening device in side elevation. Fig.6 isa vertical section through the sight-attachment, on line d-cl, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a side elevation, (similar to Fig. 2 showing a portion of the breech of the ordnance, and illustrates the operation of lremoving `the sight-attachment, and of replacing the same.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures. y

In the drawings have shown the parts cdinprisiug the sight-attachment as applied to one form of breech-loading ordnance ofthe s O-called rapid-fire pattern, and havefor this purpose shown only a suliicient portion of the ordnance to illustrate the application ofthe sight-attachmentthereto.' "lhe gun' consists, essentially, of the barrel, A, the vertically and longitudinally recessed breechpiece B, havingV the side-walls B', (one only 6o of which is shown,) the vertically sliding breech-block, C,- and mechanism, not shown,

to raise au d lower the breech-block with relation to the breech-piece, and for actuating the firing-pin. inasmuch as the sight-attachinentis applicable to many forms of ordnance, and inasmuch as the particular'construction of ordnance shown does not constitute an element in my present inventi'ongit is not deemed necessary to give a detailed description of 7o the construction of the same.` The sight-at tachment in the preferred form thereof herein shown, comprises a sight-block, D, a sightbar, E, adj ustably secured therein, a Sight-adgjusting and holding device, designated in a general way by F, sightiblocl'i-attaching devices (herein shown in the form of pins, 20, 2l, 22) and a fastening device, H, for securing the sight-block upon the gun and forpreventing accidental displacement thereof. The sght- 8o block Dis preferably rectangular in crosssection,as shown in Fig. 4:,aud is recessed longitudinally at, or near, its inner face, as shown at 2, to receive the sight-.bar E which is seated therein and is'guided in its longi- 85 tudinal movement between the Walls thereof. For convenience in assembling these parts, the recess or channel for the reception of the sghtfbar will be formed by grooviug the inner face of the sight-block from end to end in 9o close proximity to one of its side edges, which -groove will preferably be rectangular in crosssection, and the sight-bar will be of a construction to have a sliding` tit in said groove and lie with one of its side faces iinsh with l the inner face of the sightblock,a cap or` plate, 3, being secured to the rear face of the sight-block when the parts are assembled to hold the same in place.

The sight-block D is preferably enlarged at roo its upper end, as shown at 4, Fig. 2, and is bored transversely to form a bearing, 5, for

the shaft, 6, of thesight-bar-actuating and locking-mechanism, hereinafter described; said bore being enlarged at `the inner end to form a recess, 7, to receive said mechanism. This recess 7 extends into the longitudinal recess 2 in which the sight-bar is seated, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The recess 2 for'the sight-bar, will, in practice, preferably be slightly inclined' with relation to a vertical line, as shown in Fig. 1, so thatthe upper end of thesight-bar, 8, which forms the'sight proper, will, when the sight-block is attached to the side of the breech of the ordnance, project inward slightly toward the axis of Athe bore of the gun. .In the presentinstance the sight 8, is shown of the ordinary grooved pattern, but it will be obvious that a sight of any suitable construction may be used. Y

The sight-baril is shown provided with a series of teeth, 9, on one side-thereof, which teeth are engaged by the teeth of apinion, 10, secured to the inner end of the shaftand located within the recess 7 of the sight-block. At the outer end of` said shaft is securedA a thumb-Wheel, 12, the vhub of which is recessed as at 13, to loosely it,and be capable of movement upon the journal bearing 5 of thesightblock; and interposed between the end of said journal bearing and thumb-wheel within the recess 13 is a spiral-spring, 14, the function of which is to normally press the thumb-wheel, together with its shaft andv sight-bar-actuating and locking-mechanism, outward, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

As shownl inthedrawings, Fig. 3, the recess 7 of the sight-block is conically tapered at the end nearest therouter wall thereof, as shown 'at 15, which conically tapered portion of the sight-block forms one element of a brake-device to prevent accidental rotation 'of the pin'- ion 10; which pinion meshes with the rack of the sight-bar and consequently prevents accidental movement of said sight-bar after adjustment. The other element of the brakedevice is a friction-disk, or brake-wheel, 16, of conical construction rigidly secured to or 'formed on the shaft 6 and interposed -between fthe sight-bar-actuating-pinion.10 and outer wallof the sight-block, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The transverse recess 7 will be of sufficient length to permit a slight longitudinal movement of the shaft 6 and brake-wheel 16 therein. VThis brake-wheel will be of slightly less diameter than the greatest diameter of the recess 7, and its periphery will be inclined or tapered to correspond to'the'inclination or taper of the recess 7,-so' that ywhen the shaft 6 is moved inward by pressure upon 4the thumb-wheel, the brake-wheel will he released from frictional engagementwith the walls of therecess 7, so that the pinion 10 may then be freely turned to raise or lower the sightbar as may be' desired, and when the pressure is removed from the thumb-wheel the frictional enga-gement with the walls of the sight bloc-k, thereby securely locking the parts against rotation and the sight-bar in its adjusted position.

As a means for securing the sight-block to the breech of the gun, (it being shown in the drawings as secured to the end-face of the right-hand wall B of the breech-piece B) I have shown three pins, 20, 21 and 22; the pins 2O and 22, are fixed transversely in the sightblock' with their ends projected outward through the cap 3, and are closely but removably fitted into the recesses, 24, 24:', formed in the end of the side-wall B of the breechpiece of the gun. The intermediatepin 21 is fixed in the breech-piece and is adapted to. enter a' `transverse opening, 25, formed through the cap 3 and in the sight-block proper. This ii'rtermediate pin has a conical annular dange or shoulder intermediate to its end which bears against the end-face of the breech-piece as shown in Fig. 3,'and the recess 25, therefor, in the sight-block is shown cenically tapered to correspond with the conical taper of said flange 26.` The end of the pin 21 beyond thev shoulder-2G, and which enters the sight-block, is cut away at its sides as shown at 27, to form flanges 27 to bear `against a fastening device to be interposed between said anges and outer end of the conical hanged portion 26 of said pin 21, for preventing movement of the sight-block upon said pin after the same is secured to the breech-piece, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Formed in one side of the sight-block, as shown at 28, is a'groove or recess which intersects the recess in which the pin 2l is seated. This groove is of su'cient area to receive and permit a slightlongitudinal movement therein of the locking-key or fasteningdevice, designated in a general Way by H, Y

which fastening-device is adapted for locking engagementwith the pin 21,for securing the sight-block against movement vupon the breech-piece of the'gun. `Said locking-key or fastener consists of a web or plate, 29, pref-v erably flanged at itsfside-edge as shown at30, to form a bearing-plate to abut against the side-of the sight-block when the fastening-device is 'seated in'the recess 28. The web of the fastening device is 'slit or longitudinally vgroov'ed from its upper edge inward as shown at 31, to form a retaining'n'otch for engaging a pin, 32, extending transversely through the sights-block, as shownv in Figs. 3'and 4L, and

formed transversely through said web 29, is an elongated slot, 33, having its lower edge enlarged .to form acircularopening, 34C. This opening will be of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the flanged end of the pin'21, the upper end of said slot 33 being of a width approximately equal to the flattened or diametricall-y reduced portion of-said pin.

` The operation of assembling the parts of thesight-attachment and of securing the sight-attachment to the gun, is as follows: vAssuming the pins 2O and 22 to be secured in the sight-block, and the piu 2l to be secured 1n the breech-piece, the friction brake-wheel 16 and sight-bar-actuating-pinion are first secured in proper position en the inner end of the shaft G, after which the said shaft is extended through the bearing 5 in said block, the spring 14 beingslipped onto the outer end thereof `and the thumb-wheel 12 is then secured by means of a suitable pin or other fastening device to the extreme outer end of the shaft 6 with its hub in engagement with` the bearing 5; the sight-bar is inserted from the inner side of'the sight-block into the longitudinal recess 2 in said 1sight-block (which forms the bearing for said sight-bar) Withits teeth in mesh with the teeth of the pinion 10 and in position to be raised or lowered thereby; after this the cap 3- will be secured to the inner face of the sightbloelf, being heldin place by means of screws, or, 1f preferred, by the two pins 20, 22. Thus assembled, the sight-block is ready to be attached to the breech of the gun. For this purpose the pins 20, 22 are slid into the openings therefor inth breech-piece, the pin 21 during such movemententering the recess 25 in the sight-block and extending through the enlarged opening 34 in the web of the fastener H; this fastening, during said operation, being held in an elevated position 1n the recess 28 in the sight-block until the end 27 of the pin 21 is extended through the said enlarged opening 34, after which the fastener H will be depressed to bring the upper vportion of the slot 33 into engagement with the reduced or flattened portion of said pin; this will bring the inner faces ot' the flanges 27 into close impingementwth the side-walls -of said slot 33, thereby preventing any longitudinal movement of the sight-block upon the pin 21 and locking said sight-block rigidlyin position upon the breech oi the gun. In practice, one face of the web 29 of the fastening will be slightly inclined vto act as a wedge against the innei` edges of the anges 27 of the pin 2l when the fasteningis pushed downward to force the pin 21 outward and bring the conical shouldered, portion into close engagement with the conical recess in the sight block for securing a bindingengagement between the parts. The outer face 30 of the fastener will, in practice, be knurled to permit the same to be moved longitndinally'by the -linger of the operator. When it is desired to change the position ofthe sight-bar with relation to the sight-block, the shaft 6 with the brake-wheel 'and sight-baractuat ing-pinion will be forced inward by pressure upon the thumb-wheel; this operation will release the v brake-Wheel from frictional engagement with the Walls of the recess 7 and thus permit the pinion 10 to be turned freely by means of said thumb-wheel; and after the sight-bar is adjusted to the proper position, by simply releasing the pressure upon the thumb-wheel, the shaft will be moved ontward by the stress of the spring 14, which will-bring the brake-wheel into frictional gagement with the walls of the sightbl` and thereby normally hold the sight-bal its adjusted position. f

It is obvious that instead of securing pins 2022, in a fixed position in the sig block, that said pins might be fixed in breech of the gun and be allowed to enter cesses in the sight-block, but the consti tion and arrangement hereinbefore descril are deemed preferable.

Having thus described my invention claim-,

1. The combination with the breech-pi of a gun, of a sight-block adapted for cal ing a sliding sight-bar, and means for fast ing said sight-block to the breech of the g consisting of a pin or projection upon breech extended into the sight-block, an( locking-key or -fastener movably supper in the sight-block for engaging said pin projection, substantially as and for the p pose described. l

-2. The combination with the breech-pi` of a gun, of a sight-block supported upoi pin projecting from the breech of the g' and a locking-key or -fastcner carried by s: sight-block and having an elongated s adapted to embrace the pin Aand capable 'transverse movement with relation to s: pin, substantially as and for the purpose 1 scribed. A

3. The combination with the breech-pif of a gun, of a sight-block carrying a vertica movable sight-bar and mechanism for adju ing said sight-bar and locking the same in adjusted position, and means for fasteni said block to the gun consisting in a pin projection fixed to the gunand having outer' end reduced to form holding iangl and a locking-keyor -fastener removably su ported in the sight-block and adapted for e .gaging with the reduced portion of the pin projection adjacent to said `flanges for p1 venting movement of the sight-block the: on, substantially as and for the purpose c' scribed.

4. The combination with the breech-pie of a gun, and with the sight-block construct to carry a vertically sliding sight-bar a1 mechanism for Aadjusting said sightfbar, pins tixed in the sight-block and adapted f entering recesses in the breech of the gun,

viceversa, and a pin fixed in the breech the gun intermediate to the pins aforesai and adapted to extend into atransverse ope ing in the sight-block, and a locking-k1 or -fastener carried in a recess in thesigh blockand adapted for engagement with tl intermediate pin for locking said sight-blor against movement upon the breech of tl gun, said fastener beingcapable of trans"er: movement into and from engagement wit said pin, to permit the removal of the sigh block from the breech, substantially as an for the purpose described.

5. The combination with thc breech-pie( The combination with the breech-piece' gun and with a sight-block adapted for ring a. vertically sliding sight-bar and ng the longitudinal recess 28 in its side and the transverse recess 25 intersecting longitudinal recess, of a pin or projec- 21 fixed to the breech-piece having a porat its outer end reduced or cnt away at des to form bearing-faces or iianges; a

ng-key or -fastener consisting of a Web' ed substantially as described to engage Ieduced portion of the pin 21 and a right a flange to bear against the outer face of sight-piece and capable of movement aversely of said pin to lockor relsase the rpiece in or from engagement with relation to the breech-piece, and pins or proJections at one side of the pin 21 in engagement with the sight-block and breech to prevent rotary movement of the sight-block upon said pin 21, substantially as described.

'7. The combination with the breech-piece of a gun, of 1the sight-block adapted for carrying a sliding sight-bar and having the longitudinpl recess 28, the transverse pin-receiving recess 25 and the pin 32 located at one side of and parallel with relation tothe recess 25; the pin 21'xed to the breech-piece and having a. reduced portion near its outer end to form flanges 27, which pin is projected into the transverse recess 25 in the sight-bloek, and thelocking-key or -fastener H having the .web 29 with the slit 3l in engagement with the fixed'pin 32 and having an elongated slot 33 with the enlarged end 34 to removably engage the reduced end of' the pin 21, the said recess 28 being of greater length than the web 29 to permit longitudinal movement cf said fastener to engage and disengage the said pin, substantially as and for the purpose described. I

Y EDWARD G. PARKHURST.

Witnesses:

A.`C. DIEFFENBACH', FRED. J. DOLE. 

